Who knew that in a country with oceans on both sides that finding fish caught or raised in the USA would be so difficult

I have this recipe for Talapia Scampi. It is yummy. The best part is everyone in the family likes it so there is no bitching and complaining at dinner when I make it. In fact, there is never even a flake left over no matter how much I make. I don't make it often because fish is expensive and the whole house smells like fish for a couple of days after I make it. I don't like that. But now and then the need to enjoy it overcomes my thin wallet and my adversion to lingering cooked fish smells.


I made up our two week menu and my shopping list to go with it. There were cheers all around when they saw Talapia Scampi on the menu for this week.


I didn't have the heart to tell everyone when I got home that there wasn't a domestic talapia fish to be found in the area. I'd even settle for North American Talapia. Farm raised in China was all I could find. The phrase "farm raised in China" just scares me. This was also on the label: Contains additives to preserve and enhance color. I think I actually shivered right there in the seafood section.


There has to be a seafood store somewhere around here. One that sells fish that aren't chemically enhanced. One that sells fish that may have actually swam in an ocean at some point. Not just flash frozen after spending its pitiful existence in a filthy tank. I don't have a problem eating fish that are grown in a fish farm. It's probably the only thing that's going to save our oceans from overfishing. But China isn't exactly known for it's enviromentally healthy ways. I'm sure they aren't too concerned with the enviroment of a farmed fish.

No doubt the groan of another disappointment will be heard if I can't locate a real seafood store in the next few days.